Pipe tongs



June 2, 1925.

E. E. GREVE PIPE TONGS Filed Nov. 17, 1921 Patented June 2,

UNITED STATES;

EDGAR E. ennvn, or rELLE'vUn, PENNSYLVANIA.

run TONGS.

Application filed November 17, 1921. Serial %N0..515,75.7.

1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR E. Gnnvn, a citizen of the United States, residing .at Bellevue, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pipe Tongs, of which the following is .a specification.

This invention is for a pipetongadapted particularly for use in connection with pipes used in well drilling operations, and is known as a back-up tong.

ln connecting pipe sections used as drill stems in .rotary drilling apparatus, and in other uses where pipe sections are being coupled, it is necessary to hold one ,pipe section against rotation while a coupling .01- other anember is being rotated thereon. The tong that is used to prevent rotation of a section of pipe is called the back-up tong, and practically any ,pipe tong can be used for this purpose. In so 'usinga. tong, as a back-up .tong, the handle is moved against some stationary supporting structure while the jaws are forced into binding or tlocked position. In order to release the tongs asnow generally constructed, it is necessary to move the tong handle, and to do this, the supporter against which the tong handle rests must be removed.

The present invention has for its principztlchject to provide an improved means for releasably holding the jaws together, which may be operated to release the jaws without manipulating the tong handle in any manner.

My invention may be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates my invention, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a tong embodying my invention, showing the jaws opened;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation showing the long closed; and

Fig. 3 is a top view showing the'jaws closed.

In the drawings, 5 is the handle of :the tongs and it may be of any desired length. Spaced a short distance 'froinithe innerend of the handle, is a fulcrum pin 6 on which is pivotally carried :a'ja w 7 having a slotted or bifurcated portion adjacent its pivot. Between the innerendof the handle 5 and the fulcrum pin 6, 'is a slot 8. The second jaw is designated by 9, and on one end thereof is a pin 10 having a roller 11 thereabout, which is received in the slot 8. The slotted or bifurcated part of jaw 7 is .designed to receive the end of lever l5 and .jaw 9 when the ja-w'isclosed, .as shown in F In the jaw 7 are :keys 12 which grip :the pipe to hold it against rotation. lVit-h the arrangement shown, the aws can be spread and contracted manipulation of the lever 5.

On the free end of jaw .7 is .a bifurcated or slotted extension which, for ananu factun ing ,purposes, is preferably in the form of two spaced apart ,plat'es 1:5, secured to the jaw in :any suitable or preferred manner, as by rivets l6. Passing through the plates 15 and rotatable therein, is a pin :17 having squared outer ends projecting beyond :the surfaceof plates '15. On the [portion of the pin between the plates is an eccentric 18.

Having oneend thereof between "the plates 15 and journalled about the eccentric 18, is a lockin .link -19 having a transverse pin 20 extending .theretln-'ough..near its free end. Projecting from the .pivotedend of the link is a lug 21, against which a compression spring 22, having its opposite end engaged in a recess in the j aw, bears. This spring acts to urge the locking'link to its locking position hereinafter described. 111 the free end of link 19 isa notch or recess 19.

:On the jaw 9 is a bifurcated extension 23 having a notch 24L therein. When the jaws 7 and 9 are in gripping or locked position, the link 19 is received in the cut-out ,portion .or slot in the bifurcated extension '23 of jaw 9, and the pin 20, being received in the notch 24:, ho'ldsth'e jaws fromopening.

The projecting squared ends of pin 17 extend into squared openings in oneend of each ofstraps .25. The other ends of-straps 25 are connected by bolts 26.,a .block 27 being interposed between the atwo -ends. "Reciprocable in the block 27 is a sloicking ,pin 28 having a handle 29 secured thereto. The inner end of the pin is adapted to project into recess 1-9 in link 19., :in which position it is normally held-bycompression spring 30. When the jaws are closed or locked, the end of ;pin 28 is in the .recess 19 "and the parts are in the position shown in Fig.3. I

hen it is-desired to'open the jaws without moving lever .5, handle 29 is pulled outwardly until the inner end of pin :28 disengages recess 19'. Then the handle is swung through an arc of l80idegrees, the

straps 25, of course, moving therewith. This effects the rotation of pin 17 and cocentric 18. The movement of the eccentric 18 through a half circle effects a longitudinal movement of link 19, whereby cross pin 20 is moved out of the notch 24 in ex-.

tension 23 of the jaw 9, and link 19 may then be moved through a limited arc sulfieient to enable the jaws 9 and 7 to be spread.

In Fig. 1, the jaws are shown spread apart, and this figure illustrates how the ton is applied or removed from a pipe, deslgnated A, when the jaws are so opened.

To lock the jaws about the pipe, they are jaws together into clamping relation with a pipe without manipulating lever 5. WVhen the handle has been moved to locking position, pin 28*will snap into recess 19 and hold the handle against movement;

The locking mechanism described is strong and durable, and is simple and positive in its construction and'operation. It enables the jaws to be opened irrespective of the position of the tong handle or lever. The mechanism furthermore prevents incie dental opening of the jaws, as the parts are securely locked when the jaws are closed and once drawn together by the lock operating handle. The provision of the roller 11 on the pin 10 reduces the wear and friction between the parts and facilitates the operation of the tongs.

I claim: 7

1. A pipe tong comprising a lever having a pair of jaws thereon arranged to be opened and closed, a link pivotally secured to one of the jaws having means thereon for engagement with a shoulder on the other jaw to hold'the jaws together, and means whereby the link may be given a reciprocable movement and a pivotal movement to move it into and out of locking engage ment with the shoulder.

2. A pipe tong comprising a lever having a pair of jaws thereon arranged to be opened and closed, a pin having an eccentric on the free end of one of the jaws, a locking link carried by the eccentric, means on the locking link for engagement with the other jaw, and a handle fitted on the pin for effecting the rotation of said eccentric to produce a reciprocal movement of the link.

3. A pipe tong comprising a lever having a pair of jaws thereon arranged to be opened and closed, a pin having an eccentric-thereon in one of the jaws, a locking link pivoted at one end about the eccentric portion of the pin, means on the other end of the link for engagement with the other jaw, a lock operating handle fixed to the pin for rotating the eccentric whereby a reciprocable' movement of the link may be efl'ected upon swinging the handle through an arc, and means for normally locking said handle against movement when the locking link is in locked position.

4. A pipe tong comprising a lever having a pair of jaws thereon arranged to be opened and closed, a pin having an eccentric thereon in one of the jaws, a locking link pivoted at one end about the eccentric portion of the pin, means on the other end of the link for engagement with the other jaw, a lock operating handle fixed to the pin for rotating the eccentric whereby a reciprocable movement of the link may be effected upon swinging the handle through an arc, and means for normally locking said handle against movement when the locking link is in locked position, said means including a vertically reciprocable pin on the handle removably engaged in a recess in a part of the too.

5. A pipe tong comprising a lever having a pair of jaws thereon arranged to be opened and closed, a pin having an eccentric thereon in one of the jaws, a looking link pivoted at one end about the eccentric portion of the pin, means on the other end of the link for engagement with the other jaw, a lock operating handle fixed to the pin for rotating the eccentric whereby a reciprocable movement of the link may be effected upon swinging the handle through an arc, and means for normally locking said handle against movement when the locking link is in locked position, said means including a vertically reeiprocable handle yieldably engaged in a recess in the free end of the locking link.

6. A pipe tong comprising a lever, apair of jaws pivotally connected atone end with the lever, a bifurcated extension on th other end of each of the jaws, a pin passing through the bifurcated extension of one jaw having an eccentric thereon, the eccentric being disposed between the two parts forming the bifurcated extension, a. locking link having one end pivoted about the eccentric and having its other end arranged to be received in the bifurcated extension on the other jaw, projecting means on said link adapted to engage a part of the bifurcated extension ,on the second jaw to hold the jaws in closed relation, and means for moving the link for releasing and locking the jaws.

7. A pipe tong comprising a lever, a pair of jaws pivot-ally connected at one end with the lever, a bifurcated extension on the other end of each of the jaws, a pin passingthrough the bifurcated extension of one jaw having an eccentric thereon, the eccentric being disposed between the two parts forming the bifurcated extension, a locking link having one end pivoted about the eccentrio and having its other end arranged to be received in the bifurcated extension on the other jaw, projecting means on said link adapted to engage a part of the bifurcated extension on the second aw to hold the jaws in closed relation, and means for moving the link for releasing and locking the jaws, said means including a handle connected with said pin for rotating the pin together with its eccentric.

8. A pipe tong comprising a lever, a pair of jaws pivotally connected at one end with the lever, a bifurcated extension on the other end of each of the aws, a pin passing through the bifurcated extension of one aw having an eccentric thereon, the eccentric being disposed between the two parts forming the bifurcated extension, a locking link having one end pivoted about the eccentric and having its other end arranged to be received in the bifurcated extension on the other jaw, projecting means on said link adapted to engage a part of the bifurcated extension on the second jaw to hold the jaws in closed relation, and means for moving the link for releasing and locking the jaws, said means including a strap fixed to said pin, a reciprocahle handle on the outer end ofthe strap, a locking pin reciprocated by reciprocation of the handle and adapted to on; "re a recess in the link to hold the parts against movement when the jaws are closed, said locking link being moved into and out of locking position by movement of the handle to rotate said pin and eccentric.

9. A pipe tong comprising a lever having a pair of jaws thereon and a locking mem- 301 including a pivoted and slidable link on one of the jaws arranged to be reciprocated relatively to both jaws into and out of locking position, and means for maintaining the link in locked position.

10. A pipe tong comprising a lever having a pair of aws thereon, a locking member including a pivotally mounted link on one of the jaws arranged to be reciprocated relatively to both jaws into and out of looking engagement with the other jaw, an opcrating means including a handle for effecting a reciprocation of the link, and means on the handle for locking said link in looking position.

11. A pipe tong con'iprising a lever having a pair of aws pivotally secured to the lever, the pivot point for one jaw being spaced rearwardly of the pivot point for the other jaw whereby the aws may be spread by movement of the lever in one direction from a normal position and closed by movement of the lever in the opposite direction from the normal position, and

means including a link for detachably engaging the free ends of the jaws for also drawing them into clamped position and locking them in such position while the lever is in a fixed position.

12. A pipe tong comprising a lever having a pair of jaws thereon arranged to be opened and closed, an eccentric on one of the jaws, a locking link carried by the eccentric, means on the locking link for engaging the other jaw, means for rotating the eccentric, and means for yieldably urging the link into locking position.

13. A pipe tong comprising a lever having a pair of jaws thereon arranged to be opened and closed, an eccentric on one of the jaws, a locking link carried by the eccentric, means on the locking linkfor engaging the other jaw, and means for rotating the eccentric.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

EDGAR E. GREVE. 

